i’m drawing more.  i went to ICON6 this past week, and man, that was crazy.  i went on the advice of a good friend, and it was very educational.  probably in ways that the board of directors hadn’t even intended.  i drew more in those 4 days than i had in weeks.  probably longer.  i learned that i probably don’t want to do commercial illustration — i already have a job that isn’t too dissimilar.  i learned that instead, telling stories is what i want to do.  i also learned that i’m afraid of not having any.

most importantly, i accidentally let go of my fear and wound up drawing people as they talked on stage.  drawing likenesses has always been a hang-up for me.  it feels good to have overcome that.

so i’ve been working with sara on some ideas for a book collaboration, where she would write and i would illustrate.  i’ve turned to my folklore resources for inspiration on certain aspects (yes, i’m being deliberately vague about the project, as it is itself quite ephemeral), and in my research, i have come across some weird-ass folk tales.

and now i hear that 24-hour comic day approacheth.  this saturday, in fact.  on my way back to work from lunch today, it struck me that one tale in particular would make an amazing and humorous translation to comic form.  i won’t reveal much, but in one part, the Virgin Mary herself is stealing babies.  i don’t think it gets much better than that.

and this weekend, it could be translated to a comic in no less than twenty four hours.  mind you, i’m harboring no illusions about the quality of the work that would be produced in such a compressed time frame, but the idea of it is tantalizing.  almost palpable.

so.

i was going to brew a new batch of beer, but now i’m waffling — do i continue with my original plan, or do i knuckle down and draw?  i guess we’ll just have to see what happens.